Local News

Stilo Rewarded For Botched Forest Service Application

June 7, 2016

The Town of Tusayan is promising to surrender much of its authority related to Stilo’s failed plans to expand Long Jim loop road to facilitate its controversial development project at Kotzin. In exchange, the town gets 20 acres at Ten-X to build just 20 homes targeted for affordable housing.

In a hastily called meeting June 1st, the Town Council approved a new development agreement that basically forces the Town to join Stilo’s quest to battle the Forest Service over a plan to expand Long Jim Loop Road. That plan was so controversial it generated hundreds of thousands of statements in opposition. The Stilo plan was so flawed the Forest Service ‘returned’ the application rather than simply rejecting it.

The Kotzin debacle which was crafted on behalf of Stilo and pushed forward by former Mayor Greg Bryan prompted Stilo to fast track an amendment to the development agreement. The key component forces the Town, as well as future councils, to continue to “seek judicial review and or to intervene in the proceedings utilizing counsel selected by Stilo and approved by the Town.”

And if after three years, the road to Kotzin is still in limbo, Stilo would be allowed to take over the whole application process.

Red Feather Properties Manager Clarinda Vail warns the Town is surrendering its authority. She said, “This commits the town to appealing a Forest Service rejection no matter the grounds for that rejection. Even if it wasn’t caused by the Town. Even if it was caused by Stilo. The Town will be contracting away its legislative discretion on whether or not to pursue legal action without any conditioning of the purpose or reasoning. This is bad policy for a public entity.”

Vail added that if this provision were in place before the last Forest Service rejection, Tusayan would be stuck in litigation today.

In addition Stilo also gets to send some of those who have newly acquired employee housing at the Camper Village development site as far as 30 miles away, most likely to Valle.

Then-Mayor Craig Sanderson said the second amendment was drafted to get the Town out of a bad situation.

Meanwhile, it will be up to the Tusayan Housing Authority to decide the 20 lucky families that will get ‘affordable’ housing on Ten-X. While current council members are not permitted to obtain that housing, former council members are eligible. One council member was overheard following the special meeting as saying if he does not continue with the council at least he would be able to apply for housing.